The invention relates to a device for manufacturing tubular bag packages such as disclosed by EP 0 627 355 B1. In the known device, spreading elements that protrude radially outward are fastened to the rounded longitudinal edges of the forming tube and in the vicinity of these spreading elements, the side walls of the previously longitudinally sealed tube are bowed outward from their plane. In the outwardly bowed regions of the side walls of the tube, additional longitudinal seams are then sealed, which serve to make the tubular bag package rigid. The formation of outwardly bowed regions of the tubular bag package therefore takes place from the direction of the forming tube outward from the tube interior.
Furthermore, DE-PS 11 13 174 has disclosed the concept of situating block-shaped forming elements on the outside of one or two packaging material webs and these forming elements, together with forming plates that change in cross section in the transport direction of the packaging material web(s), mold the soon-to-be-welded corner regions of the tubular bag package into the packaging material webs from the outside. The advantage of this embodiment is that lateral to the transport direction, no tensile stresses or very slight ones are generated in the packaging material web(s). However, no indication is given as to how a process of this kind is to be used in a tubular bag machine that has a forming shoulder for producing a tube.
The device according to the invention for manufacturing tubular bag packages, has the advantage over the prior art that with low strain on the packaging material, i.e. without significant stresses being generated in the packaging material, reinforcing seams in the corner regions of the tubular bag packages can be manufactured with a device that is relatively simple in design, wherein the reinforcing seams are produced in the projection of the side walls of the tubular bag packages.
Other advantages and advantageous improvements of the device according to the invention for manufacturing tubular bag packages ensue from the claims and the description.